With Maria's discovery of the horse thief's pattern, Megan couldn't wait to relate the news to Trey. Looking out the window of Clint's office she saw his truck approaching from the barns. When Trey turned into the courtyard to let her know he was leaving, she was already waiting on him.
"Maria figured it out!" Megan exclaimed, excitedly. "There's a pattern to the thefts. It's gonna be the ranch on the east side that gets hit next."
Megan quickly explained to him how the thieves would twice steal horses from the ranch on the east side of Taos and then make a theft from the ranch up at Alamosa. They would then inadvertently repeat their pattern.
"Why a pattern?" Trey inquired. "Surely they know someone would eventually figure it out."
"That's a good question. You're right." Megan agreed. "There must be a reason why they keep sticking to the same routine."
"If they're gonna hit the other ranch, we should set up an ambush." Trey suggested.
"I'm going with you." Megan stated, as she ran around to the passenger side of the truck.
The drive to the Rockin J's facility on the east side of Taos took nearly a half hour. The narrow streets lined with shops and art galleries were packed with tourists flocking in for the weekend. Arriving at the gated entrance to the ranch on Spider Road, Trey jumped out and unlocked the gates, swinging them open.
"Are the gates always locked?" Megan inquired as Trey drove through them.
"After the first theft, we started locking the gates." He replied. "We never had to lock the gates before then."
"Awful trusting, aren't you?" Megan remarked.
"That's just the way we are." Trey responded. "We hardly have any kind of livestock thefts."
Trey drove up the hill towards an old dilapidated house that looked like it was built in the twenties, maybe even before then. It was a single story structure with a wooden porch running the full width of the house. The porch roof was sagging all along the front and large holes in the home's roof were clearly visible.
"You building your own house?" Megan quipped as she exited the truck.
"I do stay out her occasionally." Trey remarked. "Especially if one of the horses needs alot of medical attention."
"You're kidding!" She exclaimed. "This place looks like it could fall in any minute."
"It probably could but it beats sleeping on the ground." Trey responded. "I've got an old bed frame and a kerosene stove inside. I hook up the generator on the truck to the house so I can have lights. That's about all I need."
"What about the barn, don't you need lights there?" She inquired.
"I drive the truck back there and plug in the generator if I need to." He replied. "I'm afraid of having a fire if I put it too close."
"You kinda like things kept simple, don't you?" Megan asked.
"Well……..I guess." Trey answered. "It's still alot more than what the original settlers had."
"Let's saddle up a couple of horses and I'll give you a tour." He suggested. "Time to make a cowgirl out of you."
"We could just walk." Megan countered. "I'm game."
"Walk five-thousand acres! You've got to be kidding!" Trey exclaimed. "We'll ride!"
Saddling up two horses, Trey gave Megan some brief instructions on how to rein and ride.
"Princess is a team-penning horse and gentle as a lamb." Trey remarked. "You'll like ridin' her."
As the couple rode away from the barns, Trey pointed out fence lines so Megan could get an idea of the ranch's vastness. The mountains, rocky crags, unspoiled terrain and rich pastures enriched the ranch. Megan caught herself admiring the magnificent views more than looking for a good place to set up an ambush.
"It's nice out here, ain't it?" Trey remarked, as they rode along.
"It's gorgeous!" Megan exclaimed, riding alongside him. "It's like a paradise!"
"Bet you don't see anything like this back in Philadelphia." He commented.
"Nope, you sure don't." The Alleghenies are west of Philly." Megan responded. "They're no match for this though."
"Think you'd like to live out here?" He asked, staring at her with a grin.
"I think I know what you're getting at Trey." She answered. "There's no way I'm going to stay here. Once I'm done with everything, I'm going back home."
"Unless I change your mind." He countered.
"You're not going to change my mind so don't waste your efforts." Megan stated. "Let's just make the most of the time we have together before we go our separate ways."
The disappointed look on Trey's face pretty much told the story of how he felt about her decision. At least Megan had been truthful about her intentions. She wasn't going to lead him on, then crush him when she left to go back to Philadelphia.
Later in the afternoon, the two rode back to the barn. Although Megan had a good overview of the ranch, she still hadn't seen everything.
"Well, whatta ya think?" Trey asked breaking his long silence.
"I love the horses!" Megan exclaimed. "This ranch is magnificent!"
"I meant about setting up the ambush. That's what I was talking about." He retorted with a stern look on his face.
"Let's have a look at the house." She suggested. "I'll need a clear view of the barn's main doors."
